Latch.



' PATENTB'D MAR. 10, 1908.

. P. DUNPORD.

LATCH. APPLICATION rmzn nnc.1 1.' 1eo7.-

J9 Zj Witnesses atta'bwu a 'rn: NORRIS PETERS cm, wasnmcrou, n c.

UNITED STATES PETER DUNFORD, OF SUMMIT, GEORGIJL LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, loos.

Application filed December 11, 1907. Serial No. 406,062.

live stock and which is designed to simultaneously engage a plurality ofkeepers so that the locking of the gate is doubly insured.

Another object is to provide a latch which can be conveniently attachedto a gate of the usual formand which is provided with means whereby itcan be simultaneously released from engagement with all of the keepers.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts which will behereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsis shown the preferred form of theinvention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gate having theimproved latch connected thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view ofthe latch. Fig. 3 is an end view thereof. Fig. 4 is a detail view of oneof the keepers. Fig. 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly insection of a modified form of latch.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates aswinging gate-of the usual or any preferred construction, and 2designates a gate post having preferably two keepers 3 connectedthereto. Each of these keepers is preferably in the form of a staplehav1ng pointed members 4 designed to be driven into the post while thecrown 5 of the keeper has an angular recess 6 in its outer face designedto receive the latch and hold the gate against movement in eitherdirection. Straddling and secured to the end bar 7 of the gate aresuperposed yokes 8 referably formed of strips of sheet metal bo ted orotherwise fastened in position and riveted or otherwise secured to, orformed with the intermediate portion of each yoke, is an upstandingspring catch 9 formed of a strip of metal which normally projects beyondthe bar 7 and has an arm 10 at its upper end extending loosely throughthe bar 7. The inner ends of the two arms 10 are connected to an angularframe 11 by means of a bolt 12 which extends through the lapping ends ofthe frame and arms and has nuts 13 mounted upon it for binding said endstogether. Frame 1 l is preferably formed of two similar angular metalstrips having out-turned cars 14 held together by a bolt 15. Looselyengaging this bolt is an ear 16 located at the lower end of a lever 17which is pivoted as at 18 to the upper portion of the gate.

The parts are so disposed that when the gate is swung into closedosition the two spring catches 9 will stri e the rounded corners of thekeepers 3 and be pressed inwardly thereby until they assume, positionsopposite therecesses 6 whereupon the two catches will simultaneouslysprmg into the recesses and lock the gate against movement. To unlockthe gate the lever 17 is actuated manually so as to pull on frame 11 andarms 10.

It will be seen thatby means of the bolt 12 the catches can be adjustedto any desired distance apart so as to properly engage the keepers 3after which said catches can be secured to the gate in the mannerdescribed. By providing this form of latch it is practically impossiblefor live stock to unlock the gate for the reason that as the latch ismade entirely of spring metal strips the retraction of one of thecatches from enga ement with the keeper will not result in t ecorresponding movement of the other catch because of the fact that theframe 11 will bend close to the cars 14 under these conditions.

Instead of depending upon the resiliency of the parts to prevent thesimultaneous withdrawal of the catches other than by the lever 17 thelatch can be constructed as shown in Fig. 5 by providing the arms 19 ofthe spring catches 20 with lon 'itudinal slots 21 through which the bolt22 %oosely extends. It will thus be seen that should either of thecatches be pressed backward out of the keeper engaged thereby its arm 19will be free to move longitudinally upon the bolt 22 without causing acorresponding movement of the other catch. By operating the lever 23however, both of the catches can be simultaneously withdrawn in themanner heretofore described.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a post and superposed kee ers connected thereto;of a gate and a late connected to the gate and comprising superposedresilient catches, a frame connected to and supported by the catches,and means upon the gate for actuating the frame.

2. The combination with a post and kee ers connected thereto; of a gate,and a 181151 upon the gate comprising superposed spring catches disposedto engage the respective keepers, arms extending from the catches,connecting means movably connected to the arms, and actuating means uponthe gate and connected to the frame for actuating said connecting meansto simultaneously Withdraw the catches from the keepers, said catchesbeing capable of independent movement from their keepers.

35 A latch comprising similar superposed spring catches having integralarms, a resilient frame, an adjustable connection between the frame andarms, and means for actuating the frame to simultaneously move thecatches in one direction.

4. The combination with superposed simultaneously actuated catches; of akeeper for each catch and comprising a staple-like member disposed to bedriven into a support,

said member having a recessed crown for the reception of a catch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoai'lixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

PETER DUNFORD.

Witnesses LETA S. FLANDERS, S. J. FLANDERS.

